THE number of academy schools in Warrington will increase, Town Hall chiefs have predicted.
This will be because governing bodies of existing schools choose to convert or because new provisions are opened, according to a report by Cllr Jean Carter (pictured), lead member for children’s services, to be considered by the borough council’s executive board.
The government is no long compelling schools to convert, as was originally the case. But new powers will trigger conversion of all schools in an area if a council is underperforming, or if it is no longer financially viable for it to run schools.
Most secondary schools in Warrington have already converted to academies but until the start of the new term no primary schools had done so. But three did so at the start of the term – Evelyn Street, Penketh and Bruche – which have formed a multi-Academy trust.
The three schools had previously established a primary school teaching alliance.
All three schools have stated their commitment to maintaining strong relationships with the council and also to take part in the Warrington “family of schools” collaborative approach to education. The Trust has also confirmed its intention to continue to buy-back all local authority services except ICT services and support for financial management.
There are implications for the authority, however.
Staff previously employed by the authority have transferred to the multi academy trust, although this does not apply to staff employed by the council to deliver services such as catering or cleaning, unless the Trust decides to take over those services.
Control over assets provided for the benefit of the school transfers to the Trust through a lease so the council no longer receives an allocation for any allocation.
Schools will receive financial allocations directly, including part of the dedicated schools grant previously provided for centralised activity. The Academy will now be able to keep this and use it for other purposes.
Under the changes, the council has had to grant 125-year leases to the three schools at a rent of £1-a-year – with no rent reviews. But the trust will be responsible for all repairs, maintenance and decoration.
The changes will mean there is a risk to the sustainability of some council services – but the council can reduce this by establishing trading arrangements to sell services to trusts.
The council has no power to prevent a school converting to an academy.
Members of the executive board are being recommended merely to note the changes affecting the three schools – the first primary schools in Warrington to convert.
